COUNTY Durham youngsters are being asked for their views on whether or not the voting age should be lowered.

Durham County Council wants the county's youth to help it respond to national consultation.

The Electoral Commission wants to find out people's views on the law that restricts voting to the over-18s and sets the minimum age for becoming a councillor or MP at 21.

Now the Labour-run county council, which is predominantly made up of middle-aged councillors and those who have retired, has set up a working group.

It has already recommended that the age of candidacy be reduced to 18 and that the voting age remain at 18.

Council leader Councillor Ken Manton said 16-year-olds could have sex, marry, have children, pay tax and National Insurance, but not vote.

He said: "What we want to know is what do young people think about it all?

"They are the ones that matter and we as a council can't make our views known to the Electoral Commission until we know the views of our young people.

"This is an issue the council takes extremely seriously and we would like to see a sustained and serious debate across the region in the run-up to the Electoral Commission deadline.''

He said there would be a free vote on the issue, the first time it has happened in the history of the county council.

The council said that it, like the Government, is concerned at young people's apathy towards voting.

Youngsters have been invited to discuss the issue at a council meeting in county hall on October 28.

Details of the Electoral Commission document, How Old is Old Enough? are on its website at www.electoralcommission.org.uk and on the council website at www.durham.gov.uk